At Close of Government’s Case in Roman Storm Trial, Partner Keri Axel argues Feds Failed Prove A Conspiracy

At the close of government’s case in the SDNY Tornado Cash trial, Partner Keri Curtis Axel argued that prosecutors had failed to establish key aspects of Roman Storm’s participation in any criminal conspiracy. “He wrote two pieces of software that anyone could use, that’s not a sanctioned transaction …”

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At the close of government’s case in the SDNY Tornado Cash trial, Axel argued that prosecutors had failed to establish key aspects of Roman Storm’s participation in any criminal conspiracy, reported Law360 on July 24, 2025. “He wrote two pieces of software that anyone could use, that’s not a sanctioned transaction,” defense counsel Axel told U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla during oral arguments Thursday.

Federal authorities accuse Tornado Cash founder Roman Storm of scheming to launder more than $1 billion in proceeds from criminal activity through the cryptocurrency tumbler and conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions on North Korea.

Counsel Becky James and Associate Viviana Andazola Marquez of Waymaker LLP also argued portions of the defense Rule 29 motion for a judgment of acquittal. Judge Failla ruled that she would let the case go to the jury, and the defense opened its case on Thursday.

Storm is represented by the Waymaker team of Axel, Brian Klein, Kevin Casey, James, and Viviana Andazola Marquez. The case is U.S. v. Storm, case number 1:23-cr-00430, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.